NEW ORLEANS—Alicia Keys will sing the national anthem while Beyonce will handle halftime.

Those are two good reasons to watch Super Bowl XLVII. But don’t forget about the football.

This matchup between the San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Ravens has the look of a classic. It’s not just the brothers Harbaugh. It’s not just Ray Lewis’ last dance.

Both teams can make convincing arguments for why they will win. Here are three keys to victory for each team.

49ers keys to victory

1. Gash the Ravens with Frank Gore

Since Jim Harbaugh became head coach, the 49ers are 9-0 when Gore tops 100 yards. The table is set for Gore to have a big day. His legs are fresh after two weeks rest. He has been excellent in the playoffs—119 yards against the Packers, 90 yards against the Falcons.

Running behind a physical offensive line, Gore could be a major problem for the Ravens. He’s a north-south runner who breaks tackles, and the Ravens have two linebackers with injuries that could impact their tackling—Lewis (torn triceps) and Terrell Suggs (torn biceps). If Gore gets more than 100 yards, expect the 49ers to get the Lombardi Trophy.

2. Fluster Joe Flacco

Easier said than done, because the Ravens’ revamped offensive line has protected Flacco like the secret service during the playoffs. Flacco has dropped back to pass 99 times during the postseason and has been sacked only four times. Unlike 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, however, Flacco does not have the wheels to escape pass rushers consistently.

Flacco is a pocket quarterback, and when that pocket collapses, it causes him problems. This is where 49ers linebacker Aldon Smith comes in. Smith is a premier pass rusher in a slump—19.5 sacks this season, but none in the last five games. The 49ers don’t necessarily have to sack Flacco often, but they have to pressure him enough to throw off his timing on downfield throws. Flacco is red-hot, so if the 49ers don’t get much pressure on him, he will hurt them.

3. Get seven, not three

When the 49ers reach the red zone, they need touchdowns, not field goals. Their red zone efficiency has improved since Kaepernick took over at quarterback. But the Ravens’ defense has been superb in the red zone during the playoffs, with smart players like Lewis, Suggs and Ed Reed making the field shrink for opposing quarterbacks. Whether it’s Gore finding running lanes or Kaepernick making a play with his arm or legs, the 49ers must be decisive in the red zone and find ways to reach the end zone. 49ers kicker David Akers has been shaky most of the season. The less the 49ers depend on Akers, the better.

Ravens keys to victory

1. Find some Kryptonite for Kaepernick

This could be the biggest key in Super Bowl XLVII—how well the Ravens contain Kaepernick and the 49ers’ Pistol offense. The Ravens can live with an occasional 10-to-12 yard run by Kaepernick. But if he does anything close to what he did against the Packers (181 yards rushing), the Ravens are toast.

Preparing for the Pistol is one thing. Dealing with it in person is another. Sometimes it takes 49ers opponents a quarter or so to adjust to Kaepernick’s speed and to the different read option looks that their offense shows. For Ravens veterans like Lewis, Reed and Suggs, playing against Kaepernick might feel like jumping from the parking lot onto the autobahn. The Ravens got a taste of that during the regular season, when they lost to Robert Griffin III and the Redskins in Week 14.

“I thought that happened to us in the Washington game,” Ravens defensive coordinator Dean Pees admitted. “Everybody knows what to do, and then all of a sudden, the guy pulls the ball and he is gone. You can’t really replicate that in practice as much as you would like to. That’s always a concern.”

Kaepernick can also beat you with his arm. But if he also hurts the Ravens consistently with his legs, they are in major trouble.

2. Hit the 49ers with the long ball

Flacco is one of the NFL’s best deep ball throwers. Torrey Smith is one of the best deep ball receivers. The Ravens need to take at least four shots downfield to Smith during this game. At the very least, that will open up space underneath for Ray Rice, Anquan Boldin and the tight ends to operate. If Flacco keeps going deep to Smith or Jacoby Jones, sooner or later they should connect, and giving up a couple of long balls could be demoralizing to the 49ers’ defense.

3. Avoid crucial penalties

Both teams have big hitters on defense, but the Ravens have drawn more flags. Reed, Lewis and Bernard Pollard are all punishing tacklers, but the Ravens must make sure the Super Bowl isn’t decided by a key penalty that goes against them.